Next for Texas: proven Yanks

Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Texas

Now that the Texas Rangers have finally won a postseason series for the first time, they get to play the team that has won more than any other.

Bring on the New York Yankees, who have 27 World Series titles and 40 pennants.

“We feel like we can play baseball with anyone,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said Wednesday. “We only can blaze our own trail right now, and every time we do something that’s good, it adds to the history of the Texas Rangers.”

Game 1 of the AL championship series is Friday night at Rangers Ballpark.

Things are much different for the Rangers than in the last half of the 1990s, when in their only three previous playoff appearances they were knocked out in the first round by the Yankees. New York went on to win the World Series each time.

“This is a different group of guys, and they have a lot of confidence,” Washington said. “We’re not shocked by anything. We’re here because we believe and belong here.”

These Rangers can run. They can pitch. And they can still slug.

Texas clinched the AL division series against Tampa Bay with a 5-1 victory in Game 5 on Tuesday night. Twice, runners scored from second base on infield grounders. Nelson Cruz stole third with two outs in another inning and scored on a throwing error, and ace left-hander Cliff Lee finished a six-hitter after Ian Kinsler’s two-run homer in the top of the ninth.

“We’re confident. We don’t care who we go up against,” said Michael Young, the longest-tenured Rangers player in his 10th season. “We know we’re good and we believe in ourselves.”

New York and Texas split eight meetings during the regular season, but the Rangers won four of five at home with a three-game sweep last month. The AL West champions have home-field advantage over the wild-card Yankees in the league championship series.

“The three games we played them here in September,” Washington said, “proved that we could play with those guys.”

New York worked out Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, trying to stay sharp four days after wrapping up its division series with a three-game sweep of Minnesota.

Lee was acquired from Seattle on July 9 for games just like Tuesday night, when the left-hander struck out 11 while improving to 6-0 with a 1.44 ERA and three complete games in seven career postseason starts (five for Philadelphia last year).

“He did exactly what I used to watch him do when I was sitting at home during the playoffs,” Washington said.

Left-hander C.J. Wilson starts Game 1 for Texas against CC Sabathia.